When I worked near Borough Market in London (many moons ago), every Friday was ‘Brownie Day’ and I devoured an obscene amount of brownies in my quest to determine which stall sold the best. They were judged purely on taste and sheer eating pleasure, although it was very tempting to take the size into account as some brownies being sold were ginormous slabs. But as tempting as those impressive looking brownies were – quality over quantity, always.
The texture was also a contributing factor to scoring maximum points. A slight crust on the top with a fudgy centre is absolutely essential for a good brownie. After many weeks of indulgent brownie sampling and lots of finger licking, I found a deserving winner and continued the Friday tradition for as long as I worked at London Bridge.
Understandably, I abstained from brownies for a while after that splurge – as much as I love a good brownie – you definitely can have too much of a good thing. Eventually, I fell off the chocolate wagon with a bang and committed myself to recreating a winning brownie but with a twist – adding one of my favourite vegetables, beetroot. I love this sweet, earthy veg and I also know that chocolate and beetroot are a winning combination.
I like my brownies to be rich but not overly sweet, so this recipe provides the perfect balance between sweetness and bitter chocolate, with the earthiness of the beetroot obvious but not too dominant. As well as the incredible deep pink hue, the beetroot make the brownies wonderfully moist. However, they do come with a warning as it’s almost impossible to just eat one! These even got the thumbs up from someone who really dislikes beetroot. Well, lots of chocolate, butter and sugar does help!
Enjoy these treats just as they are, washed down with a cup of coffee or glass of cold milk, but they also make an excellent dessert – served with a dollop of crème fraiche and some finely grated orange zest.
I’ve considered reinstating the tradition of ‘Brownie Friday’, but I think these brownies are best reserved for the occasional treat and to enjoy them without analysing every minute detail and giving marks out of 10!
Ingredients
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 200g butter
- 250g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
- 200g cooked fresh beetroot
- 3 eggs
- 60g cocoa powder
- Pinch of sea salt flakes
- 60g white rye flour (or use plain)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Used rectangle tin and was fine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm x 20cm tin or XXXXX
- Melt the butter and the chocolate gently in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
- Puree the beetroot in tbe small bowl of a food processor until smooth and set aside.
- Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until increased in volume and are lighter in colour.
- Stir in the chocolate mixture, then sieve in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and add a pinch of salt, stir to mix then fold in the beetroot puree with a large metal spoon until everything is well combined.
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the middle of the oven for about 25-30 minutes. Mine took 28 minutes but ovens vary so check before the cooking time. Use your fingers to test the brownie: you want a lovely firm crust on top with softness underneath. If too soft, put back in for a few more minutes. You can also insert a skewer; you’re looking for some moist chocolate crumbs sticking to it.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack. They’re easier to cut when cooled properly but I can never wait that long.
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